The winners take, on winning

The sun started poking through gray, rainy skies outside the Shrine Auditorium by mid-afternoon on Sunday. Just what actors' egos need more of; evidence that God loves them shortly before they started walking the red carpet at the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Winners were in an accessible rather than lofty mood, though, as they filed backstage to sign posters that will be auctioned off to benefit the SAG Foundation charity.

Asked if he's seen all of the Academy Award nominees yet, male dramatic TV series winner Steve Buscemi admitted "I don't remember now, but I want to congratulate them all. It's a good list."

His "Boardwalk Empire" co-star Paz de la Huerta, who was part of the winning TV drama ensemble, noted that her castmates "are a team. We help each other, everybody works to get a better performance out of one another."

"The Fighter's" Melissa Leo, the best female supporting film actor, took that attitude macro on the actors union's night.

"C'mon, actors are my favorite people in the world, and to get recognized in this way by them . . . I can't say, I'm just thrilled," Leo said.

The ladies from the TV comedy ensemble winner, "Modern Family," just had fun on their minds as they signed the posters, which featured a large reproduction of the anatomically Ken Dollish SAG Awards statuette, The Actor.

Sofia Vergara made sure her autograph went over each Actor Award's indeterminate crotch.

You just don't think you're going to win once, let alone twice or more than that. I'm so grateful to the members of the union."

Asked when he's going to get his Lifetime Achievement Award, Morgan Freeman, who handed out that prize to Ernest Borgnine Sunday, cracked "I've got tons of those! They're kind of like, `You're done. Go sit down.' I don't think you should get a life achievement award until your life's about done. Mine isn't. I don't think Ernie's is either, but at 94, it's OK."

Even much younger actors can feel over-the-hill after too many trips to the awards podium.

Just ask "Temple Grandin's" Claire Danes, who completed the Emmy and Golden Globe trifecta with SAG's female in a TV movie prize.

"I'm a little won'd out," Danes confessed. "I feel insanely fortunate every time - but it is exhausting!"

Natalie Portman is probably about to find out the same thing, as the Oscar front-runner won female movie lead for her "Black Swan" ballerina again Sunday. But the very pregnant actress seemed to be keeping all the accolades and hype in perspective.

"The work is always the prize," Portman said. "I love what I do very, very much, and I feel very, very privileged to get to do it. That's always the greatest."

Geoffrey Rush, part of the motion picture cast winner for "The King's Speech" and himself an Oscar owner for the emotionally disturbed pianist he played in "Shine," addressed the issue of whether affliction roles - like his "Speech" co-star and male movie lead winner Colin Firth portrays - are especially awards-friendly parts.

"I don't feel the character I play in `The King's Speech' has an affliction apart from a passion for Shakespeare," Rush joked. "No, I don't believe in that theory. I think writers can sometimes write characters that are at a state of extremis, but that's been one of the great building blocks of drama since the Greeks."

As for Firth, winning multiple awards this season hasn't seemed to dim the pleasure.

"I am absolutely enjoying all of this," Firth said. "In a very uncomplicated way, this is quite wonderful."

And as much fun as we like to make about Hollywood self-congratulation, let's not forget that this show at least provided some much-needed employment for local below-the-line workers. One guy who helped build the fan bleachers noted that the SAG Awards was the first job he's had all year.

Fans in his bleachers remained dry and happy, and got to enjoy the vicarious thrill of sitting under the same, clear plastic tarps that their idols strutted below.

Whether or not their glamorous dreams came true, they seemed pleased to contribute to the chorus of praise.

"We drove here from San Jose yesterday and we're excited," said Theresa Gill, who was smiling in the front row of fans alongside her goddaughter, Theresa Torres. "I want to see George Clooney (currently recouping from a bout in malaria)!"